House or Home?

The word home in English, what it means literally as well as the feelings that often go along with it, is not easily translated into Spanish.  "Casa" is house, the physical place but there is no reference to the emotional connection that often goes along with the word "home".

Leaving Oregon for this adventure, leaving my home, was hard.  I was ready to travel and wanted to have some new experiences, but leaving my home has always been difficult for me.  Driving up the mountain to Monteverde in the dark was not as satisfying as driving in the day time and being able to see the green of the mountains that surround you as the bus climbs the rocky roads, but I could feel the air getting cooler and the familiar smells welcomed be back to the place I used to called home. 


After we settled into a hostel, we went in search of our new friends.  We didn´t find them, but we did find family.  We first met my younger host sister, Johanna, and she told us that her sister, Milaydi, bought the Pizzaria down the street, so we wandered that direction.  

Before we saw her, Milaydi sees me and says "Did you think I would not recognize you?  How are you here?  When did you get here?"  She jumps up and hugs me and leads me to her restaurant.  On the walls are very silly drawings that she designed herself but give the place a fun and inviting atmosphere.  

She hands us the menu and then tells us to choose something and she will make it for us, for free.  Then she begins to talk about family and how important it is.  A bit of history: she has always worked hard to keep her family together, working extra hard and making sacrifices that allow her mother to have a place to live and keep her brother in school.  Now she has a business and she can give back.  She told me that there is nothing more important than having people that you want to give to.  She made us an amazing pizza, she told us that she would pay for us to stay someplace nicer, and she would organize a zip-lining tour for us at a discount.  We ate our pizza and then talked for more than an hour.  Her brother, Andres, stopped by and when he realized that it was really me, (he saw me earlier when he was on his motocycle but I don´t think he believed it) he gave me a big hug and the traditional latino kiss on the cheek without hesitation.  I was on the verge of tears several times.  Being sleep deprived has a tendancy to put my emotions very close to the surface and all of this was a big surprise to me.  I had no idea I would be welcomed in such a way! 


My time in Monteverde was fun what with new friends, strangler fig climbing and zip lines, but the most amazing feeling was on the last night we were there, and Milaydi picked us up, took her to her house and, with her Mom, made dinner for us.  We laughed and I got to hear more fun stories about Marlenne´s childhood and more jokes with her fantastic humor.  The food was simple but by far the best we had had so far in Costa Rica. 

This was family.  
Good food that was simple but made with love.  
Sharing stories what were sometimes embarassing but always fun.


I hold a special place in their hearts, just like they do in mine.  


I may have left my house in the states, but I managed to find home in Monteverde.